What Were the Dodecahedrons of Roman Era For?
From The Observatory
Source: Dig Labs Project
Theories range from measuring devices and knitting tools to religious artifacts or status symbols, as no contemporary Roman texts mention them.
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We hope you find this article useful—it’s an ongoing Observatory research project that will be updated.
If you have expertise or insight on the topic that you think could be useful, please send us a note.
Note to reader:
We hope you find this article useful—it’s an ongoing Observatory research project that will be updated.
If you have expertise or insight on the topic that you think could be useful, please send us a note.
We hope you find this article useful—it’s an ongoing Observatory research project that will be updated.
If you have expertise or insight on the topic that you think could be useful, please send us a note.
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Introduction
Over a hundred hollow, bronze dodecahedrons have been found across the Roman Empire, yet their purpose remains a subject of intense debate. Theories range from measuring devices and knitting tools to religious artifacts or status symbols, as no contemporary Roman texts mention them. Their consistent design but varying size suggests a specialized but highly widespread function.
